Airport Upgrades Support Improved Connect Across BC

BC’s regional airports are set to receive vital infrastructure improvements through the Province’s BC Air Access Program (BCAAP), with $6.2 million in funding supporting 16 air facilities across the province. These upgrades reinforce how essential local aviation networks are to BC’s communities, visitor economy, and emergency response infrastructure.

This year’s funded projects include:

Cariboo Chilcotin Coast

• 100 Mile House: Development of an airport master plan – $35,000

• Fraser Lake: Rebuilding the runway’s north side – $29,012

• Quesnel: Terminal building upgrades – $272,000

Kootenay Rockies

• Castlegar: Rehabilitation of the aviation apron – $1.6 million

• Creston: Creation of an airport master plan – $35,000

• Invermere: Runway and apron improvements – $17,100

• Trail: Tree topping around the airport for safety – $19,747

• Valemount: Replacement of a fuel tank to provide larger storage capacity for wildfire suppression – $132,297

Northern British Columbia

• Dease Lake: Airport perimeter fencing – $918,652

• McBride: Fuel system upgrades for medevac, wildfire, and other emergency services – $495,000

• Prince George: Purchase of a fuel truck – $612,542

• Prince Rupert: Security and communications systems upgrades – $60,000

• Terrace: Runway rehabilitation and new lights and signage – $2 million

Thompson Okanagan

• Kamloops: Taxi-lane rehabilitation – $1.8 million

• Pemberton: Runway repairs and painting – $121,500

• Tofino: Installation of a backup generator for emergency preparedness – $271,700

Vancouver, Coast & Mountains

• Pitt Meadows: Perimeter fencing and culvert replacement to improve emergency access – $520,000

• Sechelt: Improvements for operations at night and in poor weather – $24,500

• Vancouver Harbour Flight Centre: Purchase and staff training for an adaptive aircraft passenger lift to assist passengers with mobility challenges – $12,675

Vancouver Island

• Campbell River: Installation of new fuel storage systems – $996,100

• Comox: Replacement of a diesel ground power unit with an electrical unit – $220,000

Indigenous Communities

• Metlakatla: Emergency heliport upgrade – $567,000

With over 300 public airports, heliports, and water aerodromes in BC, these facilities form an essential web of connectivity for residents, travellers, and service providers. While airports fall under federal jurisdiction, provincial investment through BCAAP reflects BC’s commitment to supporting the infrastructure that sustains rural and Indigenous communities, tourism growth, and emergency preparedness.

For BC’s tourism sector, especially in remote regions, these upgrades are foundational to access and safety—both for visitors and those who host them.

Read the full news release: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2025TT0068-000619